Here it is, one of only three installments left in the A-to-Z Part Deux challenge. For the letter “X” this week we have Xavier Lake (Stunt Double). Xavier was the stunt double for Common in the movie I’m reviewing for this week…The Informer (2019).
Title: The Informer
Director: Andrea Di Stefano
Released: August 30, 2019 (United Kingdom)
Runtime: 1 hour 53 minutes
Available to stream on: Kanopy and Netflix
Peter Koslow (Joel Kinnaman) has cut himself a deal with the FBI’s New York City field office to work as an informant in order to get released early from prison. Since working as an informant, Koslow has worked his way up the ladder of the Polish mafia and is now their go-to drug runner.
His handler, Agent Wilcox (Rosamund Pike), has equipped him with a wire for his latest run. Koslow is set to smuggle six kilos of fentanyl through the Polish consulate and into the hands of his boss, The General (Eugene Lipinski). This will finally provide Wilcox with enough evidence to bring down The General. If all goes according to plan, Koslow’s duties as an informant will be considered fulfilled.
But of course, the plan goes sideways as soon as Koslow is in the car with the product. One of his associates believes he’s found a buyer for the fentanyl. This throws off the entire plan. How can Koslow push back on a potential sale without revealing himself? Simple, he can’t. He plays along but in talking to the potential buyer, Koslow can tell the buyer is an undercover NYPD officer.
To the surprise of no one, things go south rather quickly. Officer Gomez (Arturo Castro) draws his weapon on Koslow and identifies himself as NYPD. Meanwhile, Stazek (Mateusz Kosciukiewicz), the same associate who set up this buy, shoots and kills Officer Gomez from behind, saving Koslow’s life in the process. Because of this, The General informs Koslow that to repay the debt, he must go back into prison to control the flow of drugs from the inside. After five years, his debt will be considered forgiven.
His handler, having abandoned him when the shooting went down, calls to meet and discuss the next steps. But this time, it isn’t just Agent Wilcox there to meet Koslow, Wilcox’s superior, Agent Montgomery (Clive Owen) is there as well. They inform him that the old deal is no longer valid, he does this and then he goes free. Because Koslow cares so deeply for his wife and daughter, he reluctantly agrees.
Meanwhile, the NYPD is looking for who killed one of their own. Detective Grens (Common) in doing some solid policework, has discovered that Koslow isn’t what he appears. After collecting his own evidence, Grens is convinced that Koslow is working with the feds. He approaches Wilcox and Montgomery, but both vehemently deny any involvement. This doesn’t stop Grens though as he now has eyes on Koslow back in prison.
Montgomery tells Wilcox to burn Koslow. With the NYPD sniffing around, burning Koslow is the only way the FBI avoids any blowback.
Who can Koslow trust while in prison?
Does he have anyone left to trust on the outside?
Every moment on the inside could be his last.
Ever since seeing him in The Killing, I’ve enjoyed just about every role I’ve seen Joel Kinnaman in. That trend continues here with his portrayal of Peter Koslow. However, for as much as I enjoyed him, along with Rosamund, Clive, and Common, The Informer (2019) is definitely a tale of two halves.
The first half of this movie had me in the palm of its hand. We get sprinkles of backstory to get us up to speed while we’re being drawn into the action unfolding in front of us. I like Koslow working as an informant, especially for Wilcox who we can tell has a bit of a soft side from the jump.
When Common comes onto the scene, I am fully onboard. Him playing a cop who refuses to back down, going up against the entire FBI? Yes, please. In fact, I think we could have actually had more Detective Grens in this story.
Everything is going great…and then Koslow goes back into prison. From this point on, it became a sprint to the finish. Nothing had a chance to breathe. That’s not to say that the second half wasn’t enjoyable. There were a few scenes in particular that I quite enjoyed. However, the two halves didn’t come together to form a complete picture.
If you happen to be a fan of Common, Clive Owen, Rosamund Pike, and/or Joel Kinnaman, The Informer (2019) is worth a watch. The same can be said if you find yourself aimlessly scrolling and looking for something to settle on.
If you’ve seen The Informer (2019), tell me what you thought of it in the comments below or by reaching out on social media!
See what else I’ve been watching over on my Letterboxd account.
Stay tuned across Bluesky, Instagram, and Threads this Wednesday to see what’s in store next Sunday!